Think Atheist2015-08-02T20:47:24ZRachelhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/RachelLeinhttp://api.ning.com:80/files/q1pFLgiZZQsdmY78IApgiIxhb6Flblx1jD3unpV13j4fM*BAlTzKrvPEMpwhxBqx1tw*QFoRe0KS0*j56lYHukG-Ag6tFDLL/463528205.jpeg?xgip=2%3A238%3A747%3A747%3B%3B&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://www.thinkatheist.com/forum/topic/listForContributor?user=2vnz8zizslmo7&feed=yes&xn_auth=noHaving trouble getting in the new sitetag:www.thinkatheist.com,2015-07-09:1982180:Topic:15411722015-07-09T23:05:49.597ZRachelhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/RachelLein
<p>It won't accept my s/n or password from TA </p>
<p>so I tried to re-register as new member...</p>
<p>I get to the part about the puzzle that has to be solved but there's no puzzle... Just a blank white space above the continue button.</p>
<p>Anyone with suggestions can contact me via email, and thanks for it. I know I haven't been participating much recently but I'm in here pretty regular just reading and would like to keep being a member.</p>
<p>Virgil</p>
<p>It won't accept my s/n or password from TA </p>
<p>so I tried to re-register as new member...</p>
<p>I get to the part about the puzzle that has to be solved but there's no puzzle... Just a blank white space above the continue button.</p>
<p>Anyone with suggestions can contact me via email, and thanks for it. I know I haven't been participating much recently but I'm in here pretty regular just reading and would like to keep being a member.</p>
<p>Virgil</p> Are we giving sanctuary to murderers and rapists?tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2015-07-07:1982180:Topic:15412342015-07-07T16:22:55.565ZRachelhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/RachelLein
<ol>
<li class="mod"><div class="_oDd minimumFontMain"><span class="_Tgc"><b>Sanctuary city</b> is a term given to a <b>city</b> in the United States or Canada that follows certain practices that protect Illegal immigration. These practices can be by law (de jure) or they can be by habit (de facto).</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<p>An illegal immigrant, using sanctuary city policy to keep from being sent back to Mexico killed a woman who was out for a walk with her father. </p>
<p>This could not…</p>
<ol>
<li class="mod"><div class="_oDd minimumFontMain"><span class="_Tgc"><b>Sanctuary city</b> is a term given to a <b>city</b> in the United States or Canada that follows certain practices that protect Illegal immigration. These practices can be by law (de jure) or they can be by habit (de facto).</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<p>An illegal immigrant, using sanctuary city policy to keep from being sent back to Mexico killed a woman who was out for a walk with her father. </p>
<p>This could not have come at a worse time for those objecting to Donald Trump's controversial statement that Mexico is sending us murderers and rapists.</p>
<p><a href="http://patch.com/california/pleasanton/undocumented-immigrant-charged-killing-woman-sf-pier-reignites-national-debate-sanctuary-cities" target="_blank">Here</a>'s the story.</p> An Atheist Time Capsuletag:www.thinkatheist.com,2015-07-07:1982180:Topic:15410432015-07-07T00:10:49.994ZRachelhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/RachelLein
<p>You know when you graduate college...well at least at my college we all contributed something to a time capsule that was basically a huge box and buried underground and sealed with a stone engraved with the year of graduation...and then years later we'll open it and reminisce etc...</p>
<p>Well..it seems that Think Atheist is about to be sealed like a time capsule. Something of the past and although our new site will go on, and relationships built will hopefully continue at atheistzone.com…</p>
<p>You know when you graduate college...well at least at my college we all contributed something to a time capsule that was basically a huge box and buried underground and sealed with a stone engraved with the year of graduation...and then years later we'll open it and reminisce etc...</p>
<p>Well..it seems that Think Atheist is about to be sealed like a time capsule. Something of the past and although our new site will go on, and relationships built will hopefully continue at atheistzone.com the truth is that it's not quite the same. It's as if the past 7 years will be frozen in time and we'll be able to look at it and see it, but even that is not really a for sure thing. You never know what can happen to things posted online. It's a reminder that our relationships are what's important. </p>
<p>So I just thought about this discussion being about whatever we want the legacy of Think Atheist to be. I hope everyone will go to the new site and we will continue like normal. I really hope that. But I think we should pay tribute to the community we've built here. I think we should appreciate that it's the PEOPLE that make our community unique. Not the domain name or the platform intricacies. </p>
<p>So what do you all want to say about our community and our vision for the future? Where are we headed as a community the rest of 2015 and beyond? What do the next 7 years hold?</p>
<p>I personally would like to see our community to continue to thrive and begin to move our ideas into action. I would like to see us take our debates to another level and continue to better the world we live in. I would like to see more sophisticated theists continue to be attracted to our debates, and I would like to continue to discuss difficult current issues and do more than just belabor our points and split hairs over issues. I would like to see us find unique ways to really DO something as an online community. </p>
<p>Whatever the future holds, I hope we can continue bringing Atheists and freethinkers together for years to come. And I hope to not lose connection with you all.....thanks....</p> 9 dead, 46 wounded by gunfire in Chicagotag:www.thinkatheist.com,2015-07-06:1982180:Topic:15411132015-07-06T16:34:55.516ZRachelhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/RachelLein
<p>Chicago instituted strict gun control laws and <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/feb/4/chicago-murder-rate-far-worse-strict-gun-control/" target="_blank">the murder rate went up</a>. </p>
<p>I think it's safe to say that almost none of the shooters were people who'd give up their guns willingly. Guns are part of their lifestyle, as much a part of their everyday life as backyard barbecues.</p>
<p>The most heartbreaking of the murders was a 7 y/o boy who took a bullet intended…</p>
<p>Chicago instituted strict gun control laws and <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/feb/4/chicago-murder-rate-far-worse-strict-gun-control/" target="_blank">the murder rate went up</a>. </p>
<p>I think it's safe to say that almost none of the shooters were people who'd give up their guns willingly. Guns are part of their lifestyle, as much a part of their everyday life as backyard barbecues.</p>
<p>The most heartbreaking of the murders was a 7 y/o boy who took a bullet intended for his gangster father who, BTW, is NOT cooperating with the police investigation. Obviously, he's thinking of reprisal rather than state justice.</p>
<p>Chicago police confiscated about one gun per hour over the July 4th weekend, the police force was boosted by 1/3 over the weekend, and yet 9 dead and 46 wounded (which, BTW, is better than the toll last year). <br/>Most of the confiscated weapons were taken in "stop and frisk" activities, and many of the same people who want the police to do something about Chicago gun crime will decry stop and frisk as unconstitutional (which it may be, BTW). </p>
<p>The police commissioner in Chicago says that gun laws and gun confiscations aren't helping. He says that what's needed is a more responsive justice system. In other words, more convictions and longer prison terms. (This in a society that already has more people in prison than any other country in the world.) He also said that basically the public needs to take more responsibility and not depend solely on police. In other words, dropping a lot of dimes on gangsters and drug dealers.</p> Thoughts on the Women's World Cup and soccer/football in generaltag:www.thinkatheist.com,2015-07-06:1982180:Topic:15411062015-07-06T16:12:03.590ZRachelhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/RachelLein
<p>What a game! Three goals in the first sixteen minutes all by Carli Lloyd, and the last one of those from fifty some yards away. </p>
<p>Seeing the Japanese beaten down so soundly by a US team that kept them on their heels for most of the game must have given some pleasure to the English, who lost to Japan on one of the most monumental flukes in World Cup history. Probably one of the few times they ever rooted for an American soccer team.</p>
<p>Soccer is growing in the US. More people…</p>
<p>What a game! Three goals in the first sixteen minutes all by Carli Lloyd, and the last one of those from fifty some yards away. </p>
<p>Seeing the Japanese beaten down so soundly by a US team that kept them on their heels for most of the game must have given some pleasure to the English, who lost to Japan on one of the most monumental flukes in World Cup history. Probably one of the few times they ever rooted for an American soccer team.</p>
<p>Soccer is growing in the US. More people watched the final yesterday than watched the last Men's World Cup. Portland, Oregon, where I live is a soccer-crazy town, and so I watched our Timbers beat San Jose at 8 pm last evening, less than 2 hours after the Women's World Cup finish.</p>
<p>So, what are the prospects for soccer supplanting NFL football as the sport of choice in America?</p>
<p>The biggest problem is that NFL games are stop and go, giving the TV networks ample opportunities to run the ads that pay for the show. The clock only stops at the end of each half of a soccer game. Occasionally, someone is treated for an injury or a player substitution is made, but those are relatively rare. </p>
<p>Advertising in soccer matches seems to consist mainly of logo placement on the sidelines, so other than before, after, and at halftime, there are few opportunities for running the kind of clever ads that punctuate NFL matches.</p>
<p>It will take overwhelming interest by the public and some solution to the advertising problem for Sunday Soccer to supplant Sunday NFL Football.</p>
<p>BTW, I have to hand it to soccer players, who must be among the best conditioned of athletes. Unlike NFL players who actually play, it's been estimated, about 11 minutes per 60 minute game, Soccer players spend almost all of their 90 minutes running around on a field that's substantially bigger than an NFL gridiron. And it can happen that there's overtime play. I believe in the Japan vs. England game, there were two 15-minute overtime sets, so the many of the players actually played for 2 hours. No wonder there are no fat soccer players!</p>
<p>Any comments?</p> Questions from an old member who hasn't been around in quite awhile...tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2015-07-06:1982180:Topic:15410922015-07-06T14:54:09.771ZRachelhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/RachelLein
<p>Hey Folks,</p>
<p>I've been a member here for quite some time, but due to numerous unforeseen circumstances and issues in my life I've not been able to participate here like I used to. I saw that TA is going away and is moving to AtheistZone. I also noticed that the person that seems to be in charge of this - and apparently TA as a whole - is no longer Morgan. What happened to Morgan? Is he no longer involved with TA at all?</p>
<p>Any info you can provide me would be really…</p>
<p>Hey Folks,</p>
<p>I've been a member here for quite some time, but due to numerous unforeseen circumstances and issues in my life I've not been able to participate here like I used to. I saw that TA is going away and is moving to AtheistZone. I also noticed that the person that seems to be in charge of this - and apparently TA as a whole - is no longer Morgan. What happened to Morgan? Is he no longer involved with TA at all?</p>
<p>Any info you can provide me would be really appreciated.</p>
<p>TIA.</p>
<p>--Rocky, aka LotusGeek.</p> New sitetag:www.thinkatheist.com,2015-07-05:1982180:Topic:15406502015-07-05T14:43:46.803ZRachelhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/RachelLein
<p>We are migrating to new network, <a href="http://atheistzone.com/" target="_blank">http://atheistzone.com/</a> soon. Please join it and give your feedback.</p>
<p>We are migrating to new network, <a href="http://atheistzone.com/" target="_blank">http://atheistzone.com/</a> soon. Please join it and give your feedback.</p> Flying the Atheist Banner on Independence Daytag:www.thinkatheist.com,2015-07-04:1982180:Topic:15406972015-07-04T17:54:45.132ZRachelhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/RachelLein
<p>To U.S. citizens:</p>
<p>So is it in atheism's best interests to promote supernatural abstinence on the Fourth of July? </p>
<p><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2011/07/atheist-god-july-4th-american-flag/1">http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2011/07/atheist-god-july-4th-american-flag/1</a></p>
<p>In flying atheist banners over such places as the beaches of Biloxi, the Toledo Zoo, and a parade in Rapid City, S.D., I wonder what the crowd…</p>
<p>To U.S. citizens:</p>
<p>So is it in atheism's best interests to promote supernatural abstinence on the Fourth of July? </p>
<p><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2011/07/atheist-god-july-4th-american-flag/1">http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2011/07/atheist-god-july-4th-american-flag/1</a></p>
<p>In flying atheist banners over such places as the beaches of Biloxi, the Toledo Zoo, and a parade in Rapid City, S.D., I wonder what the crowd reaction will be overall? </p>
<p>One of the banners will proclaim "Atheism is Patriotic". That should confuse the hell out of a few theists will several beers under their belts. Or maybe even the among the teetotalers. </p>
<p>Happy 239th B-day America!</p>
<p></p> gay marriage decisiontag:www.thinkatheist.com,2015-07-02:1982180:Topic:15402352015-07-02T22:08:38.054ZRachelhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/RachelLein
<p>To my way of thinking, the most heartening aspect of the Court’s gay-marriage decision is the fact that, according to the latest polls, 63% of Americans support it. What that tells me is that 63% of the American people do not believe this country is or should be ruled by a “Magic Man in the Sky.” </p>
<p>Leading up to the decision, Americans were inundated, especially by “Fox News,” with religious claims that marriage exists only between a man and a woman as ordained by God and as…</p>
<p>To my way of thinking, the most heartening aspect of the Court’s gay-marriage decision is the fact that, according to the latest polls, 63% of Americans support it. What that tells me is that 63% of the American people do not believe this country is or should be ruled by a “Magic Man in the Sky.” </p>
<p>Leading up to the decision, Americans were inundated, especially by “Fox News,” with religious claims that marriage exists only between a man and a woman as ordained by God and as transmitted to us in his Holy Book. </p>
<p>It tells me further that Americans, deep in their psyches, have serious doubts about the concept of a Christian God, and the false notion that The U.S. was founded as a Christian nation. In reality, most of the founding fathers were Deists who despised Christianty and took great pains to omit any mention of God in the Constitution. The religious freedom clause of the First Amendment was put there precisely to tell Americans that they didn’t have to worship Jesus if they didn’t want to. All Americans should read Thomas Paine’s thoughts on the matter. </p>
<p>If Americans REALLY believed that God, rather than a secular government should rule the U.S. as Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Rick Santorum, Mike Huckabee, et al, insist, Americans would unanimously oppose gay marriage, BUT THEY DON’T!</p>
<p>It’s true, of course, that 4 of the Supreme Court Justices - all Catholics - believe God rules, and they almost succeeded in making their God’s law ours. But they failed in large part because most Americans do not believe that they are required to live their lives according to the dictates of an invisible, mythical deity, despite what the despicably fanatical Antonin Scalia thinks. </p>
<p>Finally, this tells me that it’s only a matter of time before Christianity becomes little more than a cult.</p> Is there an energy resource with such attributes?tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2015-07-02:1982180:Topic:15402912015-07-02T20:09:06.834ZRachelhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/RachelLein
<p><span>Is there an energy substance, element, material, natural or artificial resource with attributes such that: When its moved it loses energy. When its intact, untouched and unmoved it contains energy.</span></p>
<p><span>Is there an energy substance, element, material, natural or artificial resource with attributes such that: When its moved it loses energy. When its intact, untouched and unmoved it contains energy.</span></p>